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Pancreas Transplant Surgery for Diabetes

Topic Overview

Pancreas transplant surgery is a surgical treatment for
people who have
type 1 diabetes. The person's pancreas is not removed.
The transplanted pancreas is placed in the front part of the abdomen.
Insulin from the transplanted pancreas is released
into the bloodstream through the lower abdominal blood vessels (veins).

When the surgery is successful, the person may
no longer have symptoms of diabetes or need to treat diabetes. But the person
may still develop complications from diabetes. If the person already has
complications, they may continue to get worse as time goes on.

This surgery is used mainly for people who have
had or plan to have a kidney transplant. The pancreas transplant can be done at
the same time as or after the kidney transplant.

A person who
wants to have only a pancreas transplant usually:

Has a history of severe metabolic problems from
diabetes (such as
diabetic ketoacidosis).

Has major
problems with insulin therapy.

Has complications despite
insulin therapy.

Pancreas transplants are done only in hospitals that handle
kidney transplants and that are equipped to care for people who have kidney
transplant surgery.

People who receive a transplanted pancreas
must take immunosuppressive medicine to prevent their bodies from rejecting the
new organ.

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